This is yet another Loco now ready for weathering. This time it is an ex Scottish Region celebrity now based at Cardiff for Engineers use. While in Scotland this Loco was named Loch Rannoch, but now it is just another Loco heading towards the end of its working life. This has to be one of the best liveries, especially on a 37 !
This is a job that I never thought I would ever tackle, especially in O Gauge on a Heljan Loco. I did this modification many times thirty or so years ago on OO Lima 37’s, but the cost of messing it up would be small, under £25. Trying this on a Heljan Loco in O gauge costing about £500 is another story! Over production of the last run of 37 bodies and their selling off at £65 has perhaps made the decision slightly easier.
This is not for the faint hearted with lots of scraping, sanding and a little filling – but if you want something a bit different on a split head code loco – then you have to try.
Photos of my attempt are under.
Here are two more of the Locos that have been prepared for weathering. As usual transfers added and detailed. A special note on 37084, it has had the extra strengtheners added to the cant grills.
37050 has got to be fitted with original Round Oleo Buffers (on order)
37084
These O Gauge Locos have all been prepared for weathering. They have been numbered, named and detailed. They are all Eastfield (ED) Locos that were allocated in these liveries in the early 1980’s. Weathering will have to wait until it gets a bit warmer!
Note:- 37026 still needs Snowploughs added and Split Headcode boxes painted Black.
Here we have the Sentinel that was based at ‘Potters’ of Ely for shunting their yard. The Loco has been weathered to the condition it was in just before withdrawal.
Here are another two Heljan 48DS – the yellow one is weathered as working at a Cement Factory and the Dark Green one is for general use.
This is the fourth J15 I have painted over the years, this one was also detailed and lightly weathered. This was for a friend, I have had it for several months and only just finished it due to ‘losing my mojo’ for a while, not sure it has returned yet, but I am happy with the loco.
This is my first weathering for over a month. This is for Colin French’s new layout planned for this year, it is a Coal Yard micro layout. Based on being a coal yard, the weathering reflects this. This Heljan product is excellent, I liked it so much I purchased a similar one for myself.
I have today finished weathering six steam Locos for my new OO layout. I have posed them on the layout to show how its all being pulled together. I still have a few items to paint and weather, three more locos and lots of sundry bits like wheelbarrows and shovels, point levers and more people. I have also got to add three link couplings to the wagons so that they can be shunted around the layout. I guess Hornby no longer do dummy screw coupling with their locos, as only one had them in the ‘add on’ pack. I have ordered some ‘Smiths Couplings’ which I will add.
The layout is all but finished, cars have been added along with a few workers and ballast bins. Only a few more people and the point levers have not arrived yet!
Being freezing cold in the garage and work virtually impossible, I put on multiple layers of pullovers and went for a photo session! There are a couple of weathered Locos, but most await a weathering session. The factory weathered D16/3 needs special attention I think!
